Bryan Cooper is looking to win back-to-back renewals of the Grade One Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase on the promising No More Heroes at Fairyhouse on Sunday.
Bryan Cooper is looking to win back-to-back renewals of the Grade One Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase on the promising No More Heroes at Fairyhouse on Sunday.
Last year Cooper was in his familiar maroon and white Gigginstown House Stud colours as the Willie Mullins-trained Valseur Lido saw off Apache Stronghold in good style.
This time Cooper teams up with Gordon Elliott, who won the 2013 running with Don Cossack, with fellow Gigginstown runner No More Heroes.
The six-year-old never quite went on to achieve what was hoped over hurdles, but chasing always looked likely to be his game and he was flawless on his fencing debut at Punchestown.
Cooper said: "He was a nice horse last year, but he always had the look of a chaser. We're looking forward to him and hopefully he can keep the ball rolling.
"He got off to a good start. He jumped well but he (Elliott) left him with plenty of improvement to come.
"I won it last year on Valseur Lido and he went on to win another Grade One and obviously some high-class horses have won it through the years.
"We think he's a nice horse so hopefully he can step up to Grade One company."
Gigginstown hold a strong chance of making it four wins in five years - Bog Warrior struck in the 2011 renewal - as they also field t he Elliott-trained Captain Von Trappe, Sandra Hughes' Sub Lieutenant and Outlander from Mullins' yard.
Elliott also runs the JP McManus-owned Free Expression.
Monksland only made his chasing debut last week, when victorious at Gowran, yet steps quickly into Grade One company.
"Every time we schooled him he was very good and he'd already won a point-to-point," trainer Noel Meade told At The Races.
"We just thought he might not have the speed of the youngsters over hurdles these days and his chasing debut went very well, bar one mistake, which seemed to wake him up. It wasn't a gimmee, it was a good race, and he did it very well.
"The trouble with going for winners' race now is they are no different to a Grade One, Two or Three. They are all very good as there are so many good horses coming out. You may as well go for a Grade One as you meet the same horses anyway."
Colin Bowe's Shantou Flyer has made great progress over fences, with four wins under his belt already, while the Michael Mulvany-trained Rightdownthemiddle completes the field.